Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Boerne Chapter

BCCNA and the Flood of July 15, 2026

On July 15, 2026, the Boerne area experienced an extraordinary rainfall event, receiving nearly 15 inches of rain over five days. The normally dry creek bed that winds through the BCCNA was transformed overnight into a fast-moving river. View photos and videos documenting the flood and see how the native trees and plants weathered this remarkable event.

Boerne City Campus Natural Area during the flood July 15, 2026

All of the above photos and videos were taken on Wednesday, July 15 on the BCCNA property. In one of the videos, you may hear Kathy Webster say that the trees we planted were gone, washed away. Once the water receded we learned that wasn’t true at all. It turned out that the trees and cages had been completely submerged.

On July 17, the following Friday, a team of volunteers stood up the collapsed cages and T-posts, removed debris, and found that the trees were in good shape!

Boerne City Campus Natural Area after the flood Video and photos taken on July 17 and 18, 2026

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason